High water signaling device



Dec. 9, 1941. M, gPHIUPS 2,265,309

HIGH WATER SIGNALING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M INULEISQ'OR 0 ON AIL/P J L/L A TTOfiNf T M Dec. 9, 1941.

M. L. PHILIPS 2,265,309

HIGH WATER SIGNALING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INUENTOH Patented Dec. 9, 1941 -UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE HIGH WATER. SIGNALING DEVICE Morton L. Philips, Edgerton, Kans.

Application March 1, 1939, Serial No. 259,093

1 Claim.

This invention presents new and useful improvements in high water signaling devices for use in connection with bridges, dams, levees, and similar structures.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device having means for actuating a visual or audible signal indicating a dangerous high level of the water at a bridge or other place where such a device may be located.

Another object of this invention is to provide a float operated high water signalling device consisting of a housing having secured thereto an externally pivotally connected lever, said lever having attached at one end a float and at the other end a pivotally connected plunger for operating a circuit breaker enclosed within the aforementioned housing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of a conventional railroad bridge showing the installation of the controlling means thereon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of the housing and actuating elements of the invention, the cover plate of the housing being removed, and showing in full lines the normal position of the operative elements, and in dotted lines the position of the said elements during high water conditions;

Figure 3 is an end view of the housing with the pendant float and operating lever;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the electrical elements and wiring of the invention and related equipment, as connected to a bonded railroad track.

In the drawings reference numeral 6 denotes a conventional bridge structure having the invention secured thereto, the invention being represented generally at A, and including the housing 8 with ears 8a. through which bolts or screws 1 are passed, said housing being positioned upon the bridge at the normal high water mark at that point.

A lever 9, curving slightly downward in a vertical plane is pivotally secured by a medially positioned pin l between spaced flanges ll, said flanges being preferably integrally constructed with and extended downwardly from the bottom of the housing.

Attached to the outer end 12 of the lever by welding or the like is the arcuate plate 13 having secured thereto the float It by means of the screws or bolts [5, said float being preferably of a hollow metallic construction, although cork or other buoyant material may be used. Pivotally attached to the upper or inner end ii of the lever, by the pin H, is the plunger I8, said plunger being slidably operable in and through the bushing l9 leading through the bottom of the housing 8. A pair of spaced and resilient contact arms 20 and 2| mounted upon and extended from the superimposed insulation blocks 2222a have their outer free ends extended in vertical alignment and in spaced relation immediately over the inner end of the plunger l8, whereby this plunger on its upward movement is adapted to force the lower contact arm 20 to engage the upper contact arm 2| When the float is in the lower or normal position. These contact arms 20 and 2! are electrically connected to terminals 24-24a at the points 2|--21a respectively, there being provided apertured insulating bushings 28 and 29 upon the terminals for the prevention of a short circuit between the contact arms. The aforementioned terminals, having the binding nuts 25 and washers 26 for engaging the lead wires 45, are inserted upwardly through the insulation blocks 22-22a thereby serving to hold the blocks 22-22a to gether as well as to hold the contact arms in position, the counter-sunk terminal heads being recessed within the block 22 so as to prevent the terminals from short circuiting upon the housing.

The blocks 2222a are secured to the base of the housing by the bolts 23.

A conduit 30 is secured to the upper side of the housing as shown at 3| for the reception of the lead in wires 45, this opening being then sealed to prevent the entrance of water.

Normally, and when the water flowing under the bridge is at low stage, the float l4 will fall to its lower position shown in full lines in Figure 2, thus forcing the plunger 18 upward and closing the circuit through the meeting of the contacts 20-2l. On the other hand, during a high water stage the float is in the raised position as shown by the broken lines in Figure 2, and the plunger [8 is then lowered, causing a sealing ring 32 secured thereto to seat upon the upper surface 33 of the bushing l9. As both the ring and bushing have the contacting surfaces nicely machined, a water tight fitting is thereby formed between them, thereby excluding water from the housing.

A cover plate 34 having a gasket 35 thereon is secured to the housing by means of the bolts 36 threadably engaged by the lugs 31 extended from the sides of the housing.

Drip flanges 38 are provided for at the base of the housing to prevent the rusting and corrosion of said base.

In Figure 4 a. specific example of the application of this invention is illustrated, the housing 8 and associated elements being incorporated at the point marked A. Electrical energy is preferably supplied to the invention A, and switch 42 by means of batteries 43, although the invention and switch could be energized directly from the railroad track through suitable resistances. A manually controlled switch 44 is provided for resetting the electrically operated switch 42.

In use the invention is secured to a bridge or structure subject to be endangered by high water and connected to either an audible or visual signal through related equipment as described. Under normal conditions-a closed circuit is'maintained by the invention, thereby holding an electrically operated switch in the open position, but upon high water striking the float and raising same the plunger is lowered permitting the contact arms to spread apart and thereby breaking the circuit causing the electrically operated switch to assume a closed position and thereby setting oiT an alarm signal. v

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,'size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a device of the kind described, a closed housing, a pair of superposed insulation blocks mounted within the housing, a. pair of resilient, electrical contact arms extended from said insulation blocks in a superposed relation, an end of one arm being inserted between the blocks and an end of the other arm being laid atop the upper block, terminals extended through the blocks and through said arm ends apertured for the purpose, said terminals serving to hold the blocks together and being connected one to the lower contact arm and one to the other contact arm, and otherwise being insulated, the outer free ends of said contact arms being extended in vertical alignment and normally standing in spaced relation to open an electrical circuit, a plunger extended slidably up through the bottom of the housing beneath the free end of the lower contact arm for pushing that end upward into contact with the aligned end of the upper contact arm for closing the circuit, and means controlled by a weighted float for forcing the plunger upward by its Weight, to normally close the electrical circuit by forcing the contact arms together, said float operating as such in high water to reverse said action by permitting said contact arms to separate, for operating an electrically connected signal. I

MORTON L. PHILIPS. 

